Political Science

Ready to take on the world?

As Aristotle points out, the 'science' of politics is the master science on which all other aspects of civilization depend. Political scientists examine how humans organize their societies and make collective decisions. Students taking political science will be able to understand and evaluate complex political issues in the contemporary world, develop independent analytical ability, and learn the basic concepts for making intelligent political analysis.

The course list identifies approved courses that MacEwan University may offer. Not all courses will be offered every year and some courses are restricted to particular programs. Contact an advisor in your program for information on course availability.

2017/18

Political Science

This course provides an introduction to a systematic study of the primary institutions and processes of modern government and the discipline of political science. Students explore the significant concepts, methods, approaches and issues of the discipline considered necessary for the study of politics. Topics include political power, political authority, sovereignty and the state, the nation, constitutionalism, international relations, political ideology, elections and electoral systems, democracy, and totalitarianism. Note: This course is the prerequisite for most second year political science courses.

This course addresses the basic features - new actors and rules - of today's globalizing world. It discusses the opportunities and threats of globalization in both developing and developed countries. Specific topics and issues to be discussed include the following: the politics of trade, debt, transnational corporations, North-South relations, poverty, migration, as well as the impact of globalization on democracy and political change.

Prerequisites: N/A

The course list identifies approved courses that MacEwan University may offer. Not all courses will be offered every year and some courses are restricted to particular programs. Contact an advisor in your program for information on course availability.

2017/18

Political Science

This course introduces the concepts, methods and substance of the field of comparative politics, covering selected developed and developing countries. Contemporary politics of the selected countries will be studied in their historical, social, and cultural contexts. Political and governmental institutions and public policies of the selected countries will be examined in relation to their responses to changing domestic and global environments. This is a core course in the field of comparative politics and a prerequisite for most 300- and 400-level courses in the field.

This course introduces students to classical and medieval political thought through the careful reading of primary texts. Authors studied may vary from year to year and section to section, but each is considered somehow representative or thematically significant to the period in question. Names typically examined include Homer, Aristophanes, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, St. Augustine, and Thomas Aquinas. Note: This is a core course in the field of political philosophy.

Building upon the skills and knowledge acquired in POLS 214, this course introduces students to modern political thought through the careful reading of primary texts. Authors typically include some of the following: Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Mill, and Nietzsche. Authors may vary from year to year and section to section, but each is considered somehow representative or thematically significant to the period in question. Note: This is a core course in the field of political philosophy.

This course is an introductory course in Canadian politics designed for students who do not intend to take more senior courses in the field of Canadian politics. The course involves study of the politics of institutions and the processes of the government of Canada. Students demonstrate understanding of the major challenges facing Canada in its political development. Note:This course does not count toward the senior level credit requirement for the major/minor or honours.

This course introduces students to the institutions, processes, concepts and compelling issues of Canadian politics. Topics to be covered include the constitution and federalism, region and province, French Canada and Quebec, Aboriginal Peoples, gender, class, and Canada's role in the world.

This course introduces students to the institutions, processes, concepts and compelling issues of Canadian Politics. Topics to be covered include political process, political parties, elections and representation, Parliament, the executive, bureaucracy, the judiciary, and fiscal, economic and other policy issues in Canada.

The purpose of this survey course is to introduce students to the political systems of ten Asia-Pacific countries: China, including Hong Kong and Taiwan, Brunei; Indonesia; Singapore; Malaysia; The Philippines; Japan; South Korea; Thailand; and Vietnam. This dynamic region of the world exhibits a range of political systems, from constitutional monarchies to one-party dominant states. This course emphasizes the linkages between the economic and political development and the cultural catalysts and obstacles to both processes. The processes of regional and global economic integration of the countries in the region are discussed. The course explores other topics such as the following: constitutional development, legislature, political executive, judiciary, political culture and socialization, political parties and pressure groups, public opinion and the mass media, public enterprises and bureaucracy; and foreign policy. Note: This course does not count toward the senior level credit requirement for the major/minor or honours.

The course focuses on the changes of global politics since the end of the Cold War including globalization, the environment, the role of the United Nations and other international organizations such as the World Bank, and North-South relations. NOTE: This course does not count toward the senior level credit requirement for the major/minor or honours.

This course introduces students to the study of global politics. Topics include the theories of international relations, the dynamics of interaction among states and non-state actors, the nature of power, globalization, foreign policy, war and peace, international political economy, international organizations and, international law.Prerequisites: Second year standing.

This course examines major issues in the global political economy and global governance. Topics include the theoretical approaches to international political economy, international trade, global finance, multinational corporations, international development assistance, North-South relations, migration, the UN and global governance, international law, regional integration, the environment, international terrorism, and human rights.

Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in POLS 264.

The course list identifies approved courses that MacEwan University may offer. Not all courses will be offered every year and some courses are restricted to particular programs. Contact an advisor in your program for information on course availability.

2017/18

Political Science

This course focuses on the analysis of selected issues in European Politics. It includes theoretical, empirical, institutional, and policy analysis, as well as a research component. For detailed information concerning the current course offering please consult the department. Note: This course can be taken up to two times, provided the course topic is different.

This course carefully examines the major themes that develop within the tradition of 19th and 20th century Continental Political Thought beginning with German Idealism and ending with Existentialism. Authors to be studied may include Immanuel Kant, G.W.F. Hegel, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Martin Heidegger.

This course introduces students to the central works in political philosophy of the Enlightenment. In studying classic texts from the French, British, and American Enlightenments, the course further aims to discern, within these texts, the intellectual sources of liberal modernity. Students study the work of some of the following: Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Adam Smith, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Montesquieu, Benjamin Constant, The Federalist, Thomas Jefferson and Alexis de Tocqueville.

This course carefully examines one or more of the classic texts of ancient political philosophy. The course is organized around a major concern of ancient political philosophy. Potential topics include: the nature of political community, sources of civic virtue, rhetoric, classic natural right and the relationship of philosophy to politics. Addressing these topics entails the careful study of major texts by some of the following: Plato, Xenophon, Aristotle, Cicero, Lucretius and St. Augustine.

This course examines political thought outside the traditional boundaries of the Western practice of political philosophy and political theory. The course further examines the central and in some instances foundational texts from these non-Western political traditions. The texts are read with an eye to the continuing role they play within their respective political traditions and special attention to the enduring insights they possess for political life per se. Finally these texts are read in light of the fruitful dialogue and creative tension that has arisen through their contact, both historically and in the present, with Western political thought and practice.

This course examines the dialogue between reason and revelation, faith and philosophy in the three Abrahamic traditions. The course considers this essential tension in Western thought through careful study of classic treatments in the Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions. To this end, students critically consider some of the following texts: Genesis, City of God (Augustine), Summa Theologica (Aquinas), the Guide for the Perplexed (Maimonides), the Decisive Treatise (Ibn Rushd), The Attainment of Happiness (Al-Farabi).

This course is devoted to the exploration of contemporary liberal political thought. It covers selected readings from recent liberal philosophers and their critics, as well as considering debates about the values of liberalism in their application to public issues such as distributive justice, multiculturalism, and religion in society.

This course provides discussions and analyses of selected topics in Canadian Politics. The topics include: multiculturalism, immigration & immigrants, national unity and regionalism, parliamentary reforms, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and any judicial review, public policy, role of the public sector, powers of the local government, women in government, and politics environmental protection. The current state of each of the topics is examined with reference to its historical evolution. Different theoretical perspectives on each of the topics are outlined and evaluated. Relevant government policies and policy alternatives proposed by political parties and interested groups are examined, analyzed and critically assessed.

This course provides a study of the Canadian political economy. The scope of the topic is mapped out with a conceptual discussion and a review of the historical evolution of key issues, institutions and policies. Various theoretical perspectives on the topic are discussed and evaluated. Current policy issues and institutional stakeholders are identified, and relevant government policies and policy alternatives on the issues are examined and analyzed. Students apply theoretical perspectives to explain and assess the policies and policy alternatives.

This course is devoted to the exploration of the role of identities in Canadian politics and political culture. Among the core areas of interest in this area are questions about the relationship of indigenous peoples to the state, the role and cultural influence of the country's earliest settlement groups, regional and provincial sources of identity, ethnicity, immigration and multiculturalism, gender, socio-economic class and emergent forms of politically salient identity, and Canadian national identity.

This course offers a comprehensive study of some of the major issues in the areas of Globalization and Global Governance. Topics include: Global Governance theory, the Global Political Economy, Global Security Challenges, the Global Financial System, the Global Civic Ethic, Poverty and Globalization, UN Reform, and the Global Environmental Challenge.

The course is geared to current controversial issues in international relations. Selected topics will come from international political economy, the international strategic system, global challenges, and international relations theory.

This course discusses the challenges facing the Third World in the global economy. Students focus on the specific constraints faced by the developing countries in the era of globalization, while assessing opportunities and options for overcoming the structural constraints. The institutional underpinnings of the Third World Movement - the Non-aligned Movement and the Group of 77 - as well as the specific regional and inter-regional responses to globalization are addressed.

Large-scale violence associated with interstate and intrastate conflict and war continues to have undeniable relevance for all of humanity. Given the rise of ethnic conflicts in Europe and proliferation of advanced weapons technology worldwide, providing answers to pressing questions about the onset and escalation of war is imperative in the aftermath of the Cold War. This course examines the theoretical and empirical knowledge on the causes of interstate wars and civil wars.

A dominant feature of the post-World War II international system is the willingness of states and international organizations to intervene, often forcefully, to manage conflicts. This course will examine the theoretical and empirical foundations of the study of conflict management since the end of the Second World War.

This is a critical examination of the conjunction of a series of market and political issues in international affairs, including the major facets of globalization. The course uses major theoretical perspectives to explain the intersection of states and markets in the global economy. Topics examined include the following: the global trading system, foreign direct investment, foreign portfolio investment, international debt problems, the impact of the international financial institutions, North-South relations, and balancing development with environmental protection.

This is an overview of the significant post-Second World War developments in Canadian foreign policy. This course assesses Canada's foreign policy priorities, orientations and sources. Topics addressed include the following: Canadian security, development assistance, role in international organizations, Canada and the global economy, the human security agenda, and the role of non-governmental organizations in shaping Canadian foreign policy.

Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in
POLS 220 or POLS 260; or POLS 224 and POLS 225; or POLS 264 and
POLS 265.

This course examines Chinese politics in its historical, cultural, social, and global settings. The focus of this course is on the responses of China's political system to its domestic and international challenges in the modern time.

This course examines the Indian political system in its historical, cultural, social, and global settings. The responses of the modern political system to India's domestic and international challenges are studied in combination with the impact of the colonial experience on the politics of India.

This course provides comparative studies and analyses of politics of East Asia. Focused topics include politics of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. Comparisons and analyses cover a variety of subjects such as political institutions and processes, ideologies, and public policies.

Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in
POLS 200 or consent of the department.

This course provides an understanding of the core theoretical and practical development-related issues confronting countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It presents the contending development theories, while focusing on the significant development challenges facing the developing countries - both domestic and global.

This course is a general introduction to empirical research methods in Political Science. Students learn the logic and working assumptions behind empirical research in Political Science, and gain practice with those methods to ask and answer specific research questions in Political Science using a statistical software.

Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in POLS 101 and 6 credits of 200-level POLS courses.

The course list identifies approved courses that MacEwan University may offer. Not all courses will be offered every year and some courses are restricted to particular programs. Contact an advisor in your program for information on course availability.

2017/18

Political Science

This is a seminar course for students interested in advanced study of specialized areas of political philosophy. This course is devoted to the detailed study of a single topic. Examples of topics include the following: virtue and politics, theories of the State, the limits of reason, and problems of political community.

Beginning with Aristotle's Politics, students trace the development of the distinctive mode of enquiry that is political science. While considering the question "What is political science?" students examine the work of significant philosophers who have attempted an answer to that same question. The contributions by a selection of the following historical and contemporary political philosophers will be included: Aristotle, Cicero, St. Thomas Aquinas, Niccolo Machiavelli, Giambattista Vico, G.G. Hegel, Friedrich Nietzsche, Eric Voegelin, Michael Oakeshott, Michel Foucault & Leo Strauss.

This is a seminar course for students interested in advanced study of specialized areas of Canadian politics. This course is devoted to the detailed study of a single topic area. Examples of topic areas include democracy and democratic reform, electoral politics and political parties, Canadian political thought, the Charter of Rights and judicial review, political cleavages in Canada, the politics of environmentalism, and the media and politics in Canada.

This course is devoted to the systematic study of the issues, history, and scholarly commentary associated with law, politics, and the judicial process in Canada. The course will include consideration of topics such as legal theory, judicial politics and issues of judicial selection and appointment, the implications of rights review for democracy, and core cases in constitutional litigation. The course concludes with student participation in a simulated legal case on a constitutional issue.

Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in POLS 326 or POLS 329 or consent of the department.

This course is devoted to the systematic study of the issues, history, and scholarly commentary on executive federalism in the Canadian context. This study of federal interactions between high level officials such as the Prime Minister and the provincial premiers includes consideration of issues such as province-building, inter-governmental diplomacy, and the contextual role of political leaders in policy outcomes. The course concludes with student participation in a model First Ministers' Conference.

This course provides a study of the interaction between the globalization process and the Canadian political economy. Canadian contributions to the evolution of the international policy framework on global issues such as trade and investment, Third World development, and environment are examined and evaluated. The roles of key Canadian government institutions and interest groups in the globalization process are outlined and analyzed. The domestic debates on selected current policy issues are discussed to demonstrate the impacts of globalization on Canadian politics and the variety of Canadian institutional responses to such impacts.

Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in
POLS 220 or POLS 260; or POLS 224 and POLS 225; or POLS 264 and POLS 265.

This course focuses on selected contemporary topics in the sub-fields of international relations. Students undertake a detailed analysis of a specific topic. The topic studied is determined by faculty expertise and changes from year to year.

This is a comprehensive examination of the evolution, functions and relevance of international organizations. The course includes an active learning component, using simulation of the United Nations or the Organization of American States. It also deals with global governance as well as specific issue-areas such as human rights, peace, disarmament, development, and the environment.

In this seminar, students analyse issues and theories of comparative politics in the context of a selected geographical region, and they discuss options and models for the political development of countries in the specific region.

This seminar compares politics of two developing countries: China and India. The course addresses the distinctive developmental issues and common political challenges facing both countries and distinctive developmental issues in each of these countries. Theoretical perspectives on political development are examined.

Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in any of POLS 371,373, 375 and 376.

This course focuses on the analysis of selected issues in the fields of Canadian Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations or Political Philosophy. It includes a detailed research component. This is a required course in the Political Science major. Note: This course may be taken up to two times provided the course topic is different.

Prerequisites: A minimum grade of C- in POLS 214 and 215, POLS 224 and 225, and POLS 264 and POLS 265; or consent of the department.

The individual study course provides senior students with an opportunity to explore a research topic in greater detail than is otherwise possible at the undergraduate level. The student works in consultation with and under the supervision of a member of the department with the requisite expertise. An individual study course includes directed reading and library research, and/or field research followed by a public presentation of that research. Students may opt to execute research proposed through a prior independent study course and prepare a research paper to publication standards. Prerequisite: Consent of the department.

Under the direction of a faculty supervisor registered students conduct a research project culminating in a written Honours Thesis with oral defense. This course is restricted to students in the Honours Political Science Program and may only be taken in their final year of the program.Prerequisites: Consent of the department.

Prerequisites: N/A

Fall 2017

POLS 304 | Topics in European Politics

Topic: European Integration: Achievements and Challenges

The course is designed to provide students with in-depth knowledge and foster in them a sound understanding of the achievements and challenges of the European Union (EU). The course is divided into three parts. The first part seeks to familiarize the students with the institutional structure of the EU with a heavy focus on the functioning of the institutions of the European Union and the provisions of the Treaties on which the institutional life of the EU is premised. The study of the institutional life, political dilemmas and historical background of the European integration process will allow us to critically examine policymaking in the EU. The second part of the course will observe the complex processes that underpin decision-making in the EU, the juxtaposition and harmony between supranational and intergovernmental modes of decision-making, the co-existence and interaction between European and national policies. The third part of the course covers the current developments within the European Union and will address the EU’s fight against corruption within its Member States, the recent migration crisis, the problem of enlargement and the rise of right- wing populist parties and other Eurosceptic actors.

A minimum grade of C- in POLS 200. Students can enrol themselves in this course.

Instructor: Dr. Andrea Wagner

POLS 461 | Selected Topics in International Politics

Topic: The Global South in International Relations

This course offers a critical understanding of the emergence of the Global South or Third World in International Relations. It discusses the ideational and institutional underpinnings and relevance of the Third World movement in international relations. The course addresses specific issues and concerns of the Global South in international relations including the following: the changing nature of North-South relations; the pursuit of development in the global economy, global governance and the Global South, trends towards regionalism; role of emerging economies in the Global South; and perennial issues such as trade, official development assistance, South-South cooperation, sustainable development and alleviation of poverty.

A minimum grade of C- in POLS 260 or POLS 264 and POLS 265. Students can enrol themselves in this course.

Instructor: Dr. Chaldean Mensah

POLS 470 | Selected Topics in Comparative Politics

A minimum grade of C- in POLS 200. Students can enrol themselves in this course.

Instructor: Dr. Andrea Wagner

POLS 490 | Advanced Study in Political Science

Topic: Problems of Method and Justice

This Fall POLS 490 will examine how the modern understanding of rationality, the use of scientific method as a mode of understanding human things, and a materialist understanding of human beings affect the possibility of rational discourse concerning questions of morality and justice. Through a careful reading of the texts students will gain an in-depth understanding of these works and through them an understanding of some of the major philosophical and political problems of our contemporary world. Authors to be studied include Alasdair MacIntyre, Leo Strauss, and Hans-georg Gadamer.

Instructor: Dr. Gaelan Murphy

Winter 2018

POLS 304 | Topics in European Politics

Topic: Democracy in the European Union

The course will discuss the concept “democratic deficit” and its concrete manifestations within the EU institutions. We will focus on the voting system in the Council of the EU, at the shortfalls of EU decision-making through national ministers and the independence of technocratic bodies such as the Commission or the European Central Bank. At the same time, we will evaluate the citizens’ capacity to influence EU decision-making, their degree of mobilization and the European causes and areas that motivate this mobilization.

Instructor: Dr. Andrea Wagner

POLS 410 | Topics in Political Philosophy

Topic: Critics of the Enlightenment

This semester POLS 410 will focus upon close discussion of selected texts in 20th century political philosophy devoted to understanding contemporary politics in light of Nietzsche’s criticism of enlightenment rationality as the foundation for a democratic political order. Authors to be read include Alasdair MacIntyre, Jose Ortega y Gasset, and Allan Bloom.

Instructor: Dr. Gaelan Murphy

The information you will need to plan your degree and your major or minor in political science can be found under Current Students.